There are striking parallels between the world in 1914 and 2014. While we may not see another world war break out, the various challenges confronting the world today and the risks they starkly hint at should serve caution to those seeking to do business in the international arena. June 28th of this year marked the […]

Jean-Claude Juncker has said he intends to support a free trade agreement with the U.S. and maybe renegotiate UK membership in the European Union. But will contradictory positions on EU governance, reflected in the lack of consensus over Juncker’s nomination, determine the prospects for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)? As the debate over the […]

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has moved onto the Kurdistan Regional Governorate’s doorstep, killing and plundering its way from Mosul to near Baghdad. Some champions of Kurdistan see opportunity, all the while Iraq faces an existential threat. This article is part of a GRI series on ISIL, Iraq, and the Middle East. As ISIL moved […]

Moldova’s upcoming elections in November present short-term and long-term political risks. Here are five specific events to watch in the coming months. 1. Short-term support for the European Union The situation in Moldova has been one of overwhelming support for accession to the European Union in the wake of the Ukraine crisis. The ruling Liberal Democratic coalition has […]

India’s new Prime Minister Modi seeks to cut the federal government and make it more efficient. Yet, there are significant challenges to overcome before he can improve the efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of the executive. After assuming office as the 15th Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in line with his campaign mantra of ‘Minimum Government Maximum […]

This June, Narendra Modi, India’s new Prime Minister, has chosen Bhutan as the destination for his first foreign visit. This decision has important consequences for Bhutan and its future economic path. Narendra Modi’s visit to Bhutan has set a tone for his future foreign policy endeavors. Although Bhutan was not the obvious first choice for foreign […]

Egypt’s newly elected President, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, inherits a nation embattled by years of turmoil and instability. A bleak economic situation and continued crackdown on opposition and militant attacks are likely to define his time in office. Following Mubarak, Morsi, and military rule, the Republic of Egypt has once again redefined its political landscape with […]

With the backing of the military and the opposition divided and conquered, Evo Morales will likely stay on as Bolivia’s president. Such political stability will present Bolivia with an opportunity to grow its economy and prepare for a safe political transition. Bolivian president Evo Morales and his Movement to Socialism (MAS) party will likely retain power […]

OECD efforts to develop international rules for corporate tax avoidance are necessary, if not overdue. The US, however, is playing politics, in spite of its own pressure on foreign governments to comply with FATCA. Transfer pricing, which deals with the methods corporations use to shift profits to lower-tax jurisdictions, is no longer the humdrum domain […]

Russia was excluded from this year’s G7 summit due to its threatening behavior in Ukraine. However, this may not be the breakdown in international relations many fear and is probably temporary. At the height of the Cold War in the 1970s, the leaders of the world’s seven most powerful democracies – the United States, Canada, […]